When Dawn Will Break
by The Protector of Light
Summary: After the darkness destroys their world, can Riku and Kairi find each other and Sora in time to repair the damage that has been done? Or is it all over, and has the darkness won? Alternate history, Sora turns to the darkness instead of Riku.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or worlds within the Kingdom Hearts series. This is just a look into what might have happened if a few of the rolls were changed.**

"_Your adventure begins in the dead of night. Your road won't be easy, but the rising sun awaits your journey's end."_

Riku opened his eyes to see the cobalt sky above, only a few wispy clouds hovering overhead. He stared at that sky before sitting up to gaze out at the pristine turquoise waters that surrounded his island home. What was that dream that had awakened him? Or was it a dream? Was it something else entirely? He stood up and looked around. In the distance, he saw his two best friends, the people who he trusted and cared about more than anyone else in all of the worlds, being lazy on the beach across from him, also not working on the raft as they should be. He chuckled under his breath. What was he worried about? It was all just a dream; this was reality, and within it, he, Sora and Kairi were about to set out on their epic adventure into the distance to other worlds far different from theirs.

But the dream lingered. It had been so strange… A world of darkness in which he had many choices to make, choices that he somehow knew would affect his journey to follow. So many choices… And a cryptic message: "_But don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all. So don't forget; you are the one who will open the door." _But what was this door? And why was he going to be the one to open it? Surely this all had to do with the Keyblade.

The Keyblade: the mysterious weapon handed down to him by the strange man from another world to protect Sora no matter what. Or was that all a dream too? It was hard to say. What he did know was that he could do nothing about it right now. All he could possibly do was continue his day as though everything was normal, as though nothing strange had happened. He stood up and found the log that he had been saving. He carried it over to his friends. Sora was just waking up from a nap and Kairi was standing over them. They were casually chatting.

"Hey Kairi, what was your hometown like?" Sora asked.

"I told you before. I don't remember," Kairi replied.

"Nothing at all?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Do you ever miss it?"

"Not really… but I'd still like to visit."

"Well then let's go!" Sora said enthusiastically.

Riku interrupted. "Aren't you guys forgetting about me?" he laughed, shaking his head. His two best friends, obviously crushing on each other, were beginning to forget about him it seemed. But he didn't think much about it really. He knew they would always have each other. "Looks like I'm the only one working on the raft. And you're just as lazy as he is, Kairi."

"So you noticed," she said, giggling. "Okay, we'll work on it together! I'll race you!"

"What?" Riku and Sora asked.

"Ready? Go!" Riku and Sora looked at each other and jumped up, running, leaving Kairi behind in a trail of dust. _Yeah, _Riku thought. _We'll always be together._

Two days of fun and preparation for the journey to come had passed. It was late in the evening when the storm came. Riku looked out over the waters towards the small islet where they so often visited. "The raft!" Riku said to himself running towards the dock. He heard his mother call after him, telling him not to go out into the storm, but he ignored her. No, he knew that he had to go, to reach the island and save the raft.

When he reached the island, he saw Sora and Kairi's boats docked as well. He wasn't surprised that their first instinct would be to go and try to protect the raft as well. But this storm was something unusual. He looked up at the sky and saw a turbulent orb of darkness above the island. "What the…" he said to himself, looking around the island. Was this it? Was this the end of this world? Was this what he had been prepared for?

He began to search the island for his friends. They had to be somewhere around here. he headed towards the small island where he so often trained with Sora. Things were so strange. He felt the world around him falling apart. He was lost in the surrounding that he knew by heart. There were creatures coming out from the ground, but he could not harm them with his wooded sword, so he chose to ignore them as much as possible.

As he was crossing the bridge, he saw Sora in the distance, staring at the sky. "Sora!" he yelled, rushing forward.

"This is it, Riku." Sora looked towards him slowly.

"What?" Riku asked.

"This is our only chance. Our chance to get out of here. Our chance to go on a real adventure, like we dreamt about when we were kids! We just have to take it."

"Sora…" Riku looked at his friend. There was a look of madness in his eyes. His friend wasn't completely there. "What are you even talking about? Look around you. Look at what's happening to our world! This isn't a chance. We have to stop it!"

"Riku," Sora said, shaking his head. "This is our only chance. It's over here. We just have to go, to get away from this world. We have to make the choice! We can escape, or we can fade away. I want to live. There's no use fighting it."

Riku shook his head, seeing that there was no getting to his best friend. He was right though; this was the end. There was nothing they could do. But he saw Sora slipping away. He didn't want to let that happen. "What about Kairi?" Riku asked. "We can't just leave her here!"

"She's coming too."

"How can you know that?"

"I have seen it. I have seen what is to come." Sora extended a hand towards Riku. "The darkness is taking over, and I'm not afraid!" Darkness began to pool under him.

"Sora, no!" Riku yelled, reaching out for his friend. But it was too late. The darkness engulfed him and began to climb Riku as well. Riku fought it. "No! I have to save my friends!"

Suddenly, he saw a burst of light and was back on the bridge. The world continued to fall apart piece by piece, but in his hand was a sword, a shape that he recognized from his childhood. "The Keyblade…" he said quietly. He gripped the weapon tightly in his hand. He turned and ran towards the secret place, feeling drawn there, fighting the strange creatures to reach his destination.

When he reached the secret place, Kairi was standing in the center. "Riku!" she yelled, running up to him. "Where's Sora? I thought he'd be with you."

Riku shook his head and looked at the ground. "I found him, but he wouldn't listen to me." He sighed. "We have to get out of here!"

Kairi looked shocked and saddened by the word about their friend. "Don't worry, Riku. We'll find him!" She tried to smile. "Let's go!"

The pair exited the cave and found there was very little left of the island at all. A giant creature loomed overhead. Riku summoned his new Keyblade. "I've got this!" he yelled.

"You aren't the only one!" Kairi said, conjuring a Keyblade of her own. "I can fight too!"

Riku was surprised but nodded as he rushed the creature. Soon, a whirlwind surrounded them and the creature disappeared into the dark orb above. "Kairi!" Riku yelled, grabbing his friend's hand before grabbing onto a board for dear life.

"Riku!" she yelled in return, holding tight.

"Don't let go!" he said to her through the din. But the wind was just too powerful for them. Their hands separated and they were sent in different directions. He heard Kairi scream as they were pulled into the vortex. After fighting it for as long as he could… everything finally went black.


	2. Chapter 2

_***Four years ago***_

_ "Why are we going here anyway, Sora?" Riku asked his friend, annoyed. They were getting lost. In fact, Riku was already lost. He had never seen anything like these surroundings before. They were in a marsh, everything the lushest emerald green that he had ever seen, moss hanging down from tall trees that seemed to just be getting denser and denser. The sun was faint between the branches, but it was far enough overhead for him to know they still had many hours left in the day. Its golden rays illuminated their path through the soggy ground and small ponds soaking their feet, crossing tiny streams, wandering past many strange flowers of various shades and hues. Riku had never seen anything like this before, and he was beginning to feel both uncomfortable and more comfortable than he ever had. The warm day was quite pleasant, but Riku was beginning to be crept out by the serenity._

_ "We're looking for a present for Kairi, remember?" said his spiky haired friend. "Something special, not just something from a store." Sora grinned at Riku, the sun shining on his face. "It's this way, I promise! The prettiest flower that I have ever seen! At least from the pictures." He paused. "Girls like flowers, right?"_

_ "Yes Sora. Girls like flowers." Riku said in a sharp tone. "Why don't we turn back? I don't want us to get lost…" He knew it was too late for that, though._

_ "Oh come on, Riku! It's just a little bit farther! We won't get lost, I promise! Since when were you such a spoilsport anyway? Are you scared?" Sora teased._

_ "I'm not scared!" Riku said quickly. "I'm just trying to be the logical one here. We have to make it home, and we have no idea where we're going exactly. We're going to be grounded for sure."_

_ "Oh, come on. It's not that bad! We'll be back before anyone knows we're gone!" Sora grinned._

_ Suddenly a figure emerged from the forest behind Sora. Riku pointed over his shoulder, and Sora turned slowly. "What are you kids doing out here?" A deep voice asked. The man came out of the shadows, showing himself to be an old man who appeared to have been living in these woods for a long time, his beard long and gray, his clothing dark and faded. "You're looking for trouble coming this far off of the path!"_

_ Sora was speechless, so Riku spoke up. "Sorry, sir," he said hurriedly. "We're just out exploring, looking for a Flower of Dreams for our friend."_

_ The man studied them with kind eyes, looking from one to the other. He frowned before smiling and chuckling peacefully. "You kids need to pay more attention to what your parents tell you. I'm sure you've been told not to wander off into these woods. It's easy to get lost, just like it is on your way through life."_

_ "Yes, sir, you're right." Riku was trying to remain calm for Sora's sake, but inside he was shaking._

_ "Do you know where the flower is, Mister?" Sora asked excitedly._

_ "One should not seek what they cannot obtain. The Flower of Dreams can only be reached by those of the purest of hearts, with only the best intentions in mind. I would not search for it if I were you children. You must not put yourselves into harm's way." The man sighed deeply. "I entered these woods long ago seeking answers that I have never obtained. You children should get out while you can. I will show you the way. But remember, children, there will not always be someone to show you the path. You must find your own path in life."  
"You're not making any sense, Mister. Why can't you just show us the way to the flower?" Sora asked, annoyed._

_ "Come on, Sora. Let's just give up on the whole flower thing. It was a long shot anyway." Riku said, equally frustrated. "Why should we trust you, anyway?" he said, turning to the stranger._

_ "It is entirely your decision, but it is either trust me or go on your own, and you do not know the path." The man shook his head._

_ "I guess we have no better option." Riku knew he should be afraid, but he was far more comfortable within the man's presence than he had been alone. He saw the sun becoming fainter through the trees. It wasn't long to nightfall. "We'll go with you."_

_ Sora huffed in annoyance. "Did we really come all this way to leave with no flower?"_

_ "I said it was a stupid idea in the first place!" Riku said._

_ "Come with me, children," the man said, turning to lead them through the woods. He spoke as they walked. "Listen to me, children; we must remember that we cannot have everything that our hearts desire. When it puts us in danger of falling, we must remember that we should become cautious."_

_ Sora was sulking. "Why are you being so mysterious, Mister?"_

_ "Because you need to know the way." The man smiled. "You children are important, I can tell this much. Your hearts are full of light. But that light is on the edge of the darkness, and you must not cross that line. Past that lies danger, danger to your very hearts." The man shook his head. "Perhaps you are too young to understand, but I hope you will remember my words in the future."_

_ "I think I understand…" Riku said thoughtfully. "But what if we do fall? Can't we get back up?"_

_ The man nodded. "Of course. There is always a way, always a path back to the light. It is just a difficult journey, one that is hard to begin and one that will be easy to fail. You must not heed to the darkness in your hearts. You must hold onto the light."_

_ Sora huffed. "Why are you telling us all of this? I'm bored! Why can't we go back for the flower?"_

_ "Because you put yourselves at risk. You must avoid danger while you can, but once you are in it, you must be able to protect yourselves and each other to find a way out." The man shook his head yet again. "Always remember to stick together. Together you are unbeatable. Apart, you will only destroy each other and yourselves. But always remember, in the darkness there is always a light to guide your way. It might just be difficult to see." They reached the edge of the marsh. "This is where I stop. Good luck, children. I hope you will remember my advice when you need it."_

_ "Thank you, sir—" Riku turned to face the man to show his gratitude, but he was gone as though he had never been there._

_ "What was with that guy?" Sora asked._

_ Riku shook his head. "I don't know." But he did know that he would remember his words and take them to heart._

_ "He was annoying!" Sora exclaimed. "He wouldn't take us to the flower!"_

_ "Why do you have to be so immature?" Riku yelled. "You got us into this mess, and without him, we'd still be lost in the woods!"_

_ "Hey, I could have gone on my own!" Sora argued._

_ "Like I would let you do that! You're always getting into trouble!" The two began to bicker as the sun began to set below the horizon, showing the night that was to come._


End file.
